Monrovia – United Nations Women Country Representative Comfort Lamptey has praised the progress of women’s football in Liberia and globally. Lamptey said women’s football is still not comparable to men’s football, but a lot has been achieved, ranging from equal pay to men’s acceptance and promotion of the game. She was speaking at a program marking the celebrations of International Women’s Day (IWD) at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium on 27 March.
By: Christopher C Walker [email protected]
Lamptey thanked the LFA for marking the day under the global theme: “Inspire Inclusion: Accelerate Progress” and national theme: “Empower Her: Empower All”. It began with a UN General Assembly proclamation in 1975 declaring every 8 March as IWD. Lamptey challenged women to break the stereotypes by praising women who served as trailblazers. “I want to acknowledge Madam Jamesetta Howard-Wolokollie, who was Liberia’s first female youth and sports minister. I also want to acknowledge Cllr. Izetta Sombo Wesley, who was the first and only female president of the Liberia Football Association. ‘Let’s celebrate them and all women who have led the way for female football in Liberia. So we aren’t only here to play a match but also throw some light on some of the work that still has to be done for there to be equality in football and the world at large,’ said Lamptey, who was presented with a football and a Liberian national team jersey.
For his part, Deputy Sports Minister Andy Quamie praised Doris Bedell, president of the female clubs in Liberia and LFA 3rd Vice President Jodie Reid-Seton for their contributions to women’s football. Quamie encouraged women in football to be inspired by the story of Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto, the first woman elected to head a democratic government in a Muslim-majority country, and Liberia’s Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa’s first democratically-elected female head of state. “Today, gender equality has taken the world by storm. You will find a woman wherever you find two men. So women have fought [to the extent that] I think they have even surpassed the strength and capacity of men in every capacity. That’s a huge accomplishment,” said Quamie.
Youth & Sports Minister Jeror Cole Bangalu (Cllr), LFA Secretary-General Kollie Dorko (Atty.), Executive Committee member G. Ivan Brown, Technical Director Doco Wesseh, former Gender Minister Julia Duncan-Cassell, FEJAL President Lisa Diasay, and Shoana Cachelle-Solomon, a television host, speaker, and entrepreneur, delivered a motivational message to female students.